Yesterday in my official meeting with the Head it became official. After January 1, there is no money for what we do. We have seen this coming and made preparations. Perhaps I can maintain and expand the other work connection that came up this year; perhaps the other potential opening will work out. IF we can survive this year's tax bite - kills us every year, eating MOST of our work income - perhaps we will be viable.

But what I have worked on for 30 years will die unfinished, abandoned. Frankly, they can do little without me. Murder, suicide? Ni idea, but there are others who like me will grieve to see it cut off unfinished

So we pray for a miracle for the seeming lost cause; pray for enough income to sustain a reduced but comfortable life style; pray for faith as we walk ahead blindfolded; and pray for our coworkers and those we have been working for.

The truth, the stark naked truth, the truth without so much as a loincloth on, should surely be the investigator's sole aim - Basil Chamberlain

Petros, I’m sorry to read your department will once again face a devastating loss and your 30 years of work will be lost. At least you were able to relocate to your new home before this situation befell you. I trust you will somehow survive this latest bad turn of events as you move forward.

Thanks. There is sadness and some anger - for the people who could be so near finishing their life's work andf the others who frankly have botched it, respectively. But we are trusting. And I have sent feelers in a few directions, with others in mind.

The truth, the stark naked truth, the truth without so much as a loincloth on, should surely be the investigator's sole aim - Basil Chamberlain

I'll greatly simplify, but in effect, we lost our farm but I was hoping for blessings for the new owners. We had an acre of raspberries planted that we had worked hard on. The new owners neglected them, then decided to get rid of them because of the weeds. It was very sad. BUT, I was able to go there and dig up over 300 plants to give to a non-profit I'm helping get started.

I see the analogy to your situation. Is there some way some of your work can be salvaged? Published in some incomplete form, for example?

Ongoing exploration. What were talked about as alternatives a year and a half ago are turning out to be improbable but I have been there before, after I took early retirement from the university it seemed there would be nothing, and here we are 25 years or so later.

I have no claim on the work - mostly I have been wiping off the spit and applying the polish to make the team's production usable. Drives me crazy to think they may be able to get funding to move on and no way to get it out.

There is, though, some significant material all but ready - if SOMEWHERE funding to polish these culd be found... And I am looking into other things. I have experience and a team and contacts which could be very useful to people wanting to publish in our languages - if they can be found.

We keep walking, following the distant gleam.

The truth, the stark naked truth, the truth without so much as a loincloth on, should surely be the investigator's sole aim - Basil Chamberlain

Jim, did you live on this "farm" or was it merely a plot of land? If so, does that mean you have moved?

As I recall, weren't/aren't you associated with an "intentional community"?

OK, a slightly longer story...

The intentional community sadly decided to disband. I was not in support of that decision and have had to deal with hard feelings about how the decision was made. The land and buildings were given to a good 501(c)(3) organization I support, but the new group could no longer use my help on the farm and did not want the past farmers staying on the property because they wanted a new start. So, yes, I moved--only about a mile away. Bought a cheap house, the first I've ever owned.

Currently my "occupation" is full-time caregiver to my 95-year-old Mom, who has fairly advanced dementia. Maybe allowing this was God's purpose in me losing my job and home. He makes all things work together for good, I keep reminding myself.